With just over a week until the start of the 49th edition of the Congressional Cup, Australia’s only entry, Estate Master Sailing Team are gearing up to compete for the biggest match racing event in North America.

Estate Master Sailing Team will be traveling to Long Beach, CA next week for the 2013 Ficker Cup and 49th Congressional Cup – The World’s leading ISAF Grade 1 match race event hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club. Some of the World’s best sailors will travel to California for the event including America’s Cup veteran’s Ed Baird and Terry Hutchinson, past Match Racing World Champion Adam Minoprio as well as four time and current World Champion Ian Williams.

Estate Master Sailing Team will fly exclusively on-board Etihad Airways partner airline Virgin Australia to Los Angeles with a new team line up including Ted Hackney, Morgan White, Will Mackenzie, Tom Parry and Henry Kernot with David Adams joining the team as coach for the 49th Congressional Cup. For Reece and his team, they will use the 2013 ISAF Grade 2 Ficker Cup as a warm up regatta to the 49th Congressional Cup, which will also be Reece’s first ever ISAF Grade 1 event. The 2013 Ficker Cup will take place off Long Beach from April 5-7 prior to the main event – The 49th Congressional Cup from April 9-13.

Jordan Reece will once again lead the team on and off the water, with Ted Hackney joining as Mainsail Trimmer. Morgan White, who also is part of the Estate Master Farr 40 program will join the match racing team for the 2013 season as bowman. Will Mackenzie will compete with the team for the first time in Los Angeles as trimmer as will American Tom Parry in the pit with Henry Kernot returning for is third season with the team as Tactician. David Adams, a veteran of 2 Solo Round the World adventures, 2 Olympic campaigns and long time coach and mentor of Reece will join as Coach in Los Angeles for the 49th Congressional Cup.

With the star-studded line up of skippers includes America’s Cup sailors and World Champions, the task for Estate Master is going to be tough but the young group of Aussie’s can’t wait for the challenge ahead. 'We can’t wait to get over to LA and start racing against these guys. It’s a great line up for the Congressional Cup and is going to be a big challenge for the team but we are looking forward to it.' Commented helmsman Jordan Reece.

'All the organizers of the Ficker Cup and Congressional Cup have been so welcoming and helpful, we really appreciate their hospitality and inviting us to both events and we can’t wait to compete at their events.' Reece continued.

It will be an action packed two weeks of racing for the team with hardly a break from competition. The team will fly into Los Angeles on Tuesday, giving themselves just under two days to adjust to the time zone before getting straight into the Ficker Cup. Racing will continue straight for Estate Master for a total of 10 days with both events back to back with the winner of the Ficker Cup (or first competitor without entry) also claiming an invite to the Congressional Cup .